Abstract: A heater chip has a plurality of heaters each having a length, width and thickness. The length multiplied by the width (heater area) is in a range from about 50 to about 500 micrometers squared while the thickness is in a range from about 500 to about 5000 or 6000 angstroms. The energy required to jet or emit a single drop of ink from the heater during use is in a range from about 0.007 to about 0.99 or 1.19 microjoules. The heater chip is formed as a plurality of thin film layers on a substrate. Energy ranges are taught for all heaters having an area from about 50 to about 4000 micrometers squared and thicknesses ranging from about 500 to about 16,000 angstroms. Printheads containing the heater chip and printers containing the printheads are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for a thermal actuator for a micromechanical device, especially a liquid drop emitter such as an ink jet printhead, is disclosed. The disclosed thermal actuator comprises a base element and a cantilevered element extending from the base element and normally residing at a first position before activation. The cantilevered element includes a first layer constructed of an electrically resistive material, such as titanium aluminide, patterned to have a first resistor segment and a second resistor segment each extending from the base element; a coupling device that conducts electrical current serially between the first and second resistor segments; and a second layer constructed of a dielectric material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion and attached to the first layer.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead nozzle arrangement having an ink chamber formed in a wafer substrate and one wall of said chamber having at least one flexible portion. The ink ejection port is formed substantially centrally on the wall with a rim surrounding it. The wall is adapted to move independently of said rim. Rib elements are located on the outer surface of the wall to restrict the wall movement such that upon actuation of the at least one flexible portion of the wall, the wall is forced to move into said ink chamber, forcing ink therein out through the said ejection port.

Abstract: A monolithic ink-jet printhead includes a substrate having an ink chamber, a manifold, and an ink channel in flow communication, a nozzle plate including a plurality of passivation layers stacked on the substrate and a heat dissipating layer stacked on the passivation layers, a nozzle for ejecting ink penetrating the nozzle plate, a heater provided between adjacent passivation layers above the ink chamber, and a conductor between adjacent passivation layers, the conductor being electrically connected to the heater, wherein the heat dissipating layer is made of a thermally conductive metal for dissipating heat from the heater, the lower part of the nozzle is formed by penetrating the plurality of passivation layers, and the upper part of the nozzle is formed by penetrating the heat dissipating layer in a tapered shape in which a cross-sectional area thereof decreases gradually toward an exit thereof.

Abstract: A semiconductor die having multiple solder bumps, each having a diameter less than about 100 microns, and the method for making such a die are described. The solder bumps are preferably about 10 microns in diameter, and the pitch between the solder bumps is less than 100 microns, and preferably less than or equal to 10 microns. A thermal solder jet apparatus is utilized to deposit solder material to form the solder bumps. The apparatus includes a print head having a plurality of solder ejection ports. Each ejection port has an associated gas ejection conduit connected to a chamber containing one or more hydride films. The hydride film is heated to disassociate hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas rapidly builds up in the conduit which leads to the ejection port which is loaded with a solder material and forces the ejection of the solder material from the port.

Abstract: An electrical device includes an interconnect and a pair substrates at least one of which includes an integrated circuit, the pair of substrates being bonded together by a bond that includes a structure having multiple widths and a composition that is selected from the group consisting of a graded material and a first material upon a second material.

Abstract: A snap-through thermal actuator for a micro-electromechanical device is provided. The snap-through actuator includes a base element formed with a depression having opposing anchor edges which define a central plane. A deformable element, attached to the base element at the opposing anchor edges, is constructed as a planar lamination including a first layer of a first material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion and a second layer of a second material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion. The deformable element is formed to have a residual shape bowing outward from the central plane in a first direction away from the second layer. The snap-through thermal actuator further includes apparatus adapted to apply a heat pulse to the deformable element which causes a sudden rise in the temperature of the deformable element.

Abstract: An apparatus for the production of a toner from a starting material having a fluidity includes a head portion and a solidifying portion. The head portion for ejecting the starting material includes a starting material storing portion, which stores the starting material, a piezoelectric material, which generates a pressure pulse for applying the pressure pulse to the starting material and an ejection portion, which ejects the starting material with the pressure pulse. The solidifying portion solidifies the starting material ejected from the head portion into a particulate material.

Abstract: A present invention provides a liquid ejection head comprising a plurality of ejection openings arranged in the feeding direction of a printing medium and a plurality of ejection energy generating elements for generating energy used for ejecting liquid from the ejection openings disposed in correspondence to the ejection openings, and subjected to the scanning movement along the printing medium transverse to the feeding direction of the printing medium, wherein the ejection openings are divided into a plurality of groups arranged parallel to the scanning movement direction while alternately offset in this direction, so that the ink droplets ejected from ejection openings located at the opposite ends of the arrangement are prevented from deflecting to the center of the arrangement and from generating white streaks when the solid printing is carried out.

Abstract: A liquid dispenser includes a substrate and a plurality of liquid-dispensing portions, arranged on the substrate, including at least one liquid chamber for storing liquid, one nozzle, and one heating element, wherein the heating elements are energized to heat liquid stored in the corresponding liquid chambers to eject a droplet of the liquid from the corresponding nozzles; the heating elements and the liquid chambers have a protective layer and an insulating layer therebetween; each heating element, the insulating layer, the protective layer, and each liquid chamber are arranged in that order; the insulating layer isolates the protective layer from the heating elements; and the protective layer comprises an inorganic material, protects the heating elements, has a strip shape so as to cover some of the plurality of heating elements adjacent to each other, and has slits each disposed between the heating elements. A printer includes such a liquid dispenser.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head is provided with discharge ports for discharging liquid, liquid flow paths communicated with the discharge ports for supplying liquid to the discharge ports, a substrate having heat generating members for creating bubbles in the liquid, and movable members facing the heat generating members and being arranged in the liquid flow paths. The movable members have a free end on the discharge port side with a specific gap with respect to the heat generating members. The movable member is fixed to the substrate above the heat generating member on the substrate.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet printhead which comprises a plurality of nozzles 3 and one or more heater elements 10 in a bubble forming chamber 7 corresponding to each nozzle 3. Each heater element 10 is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid 11 in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble 12 therein. The generation of the bubble 12 causes the ejection of a drop 16 of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through an ejection aperture 5 in each nozzle 3, to effect printing. The transient rise in pressure within the bubble forming chamber when the bubble forms is less than 20 MPa. Keeping the transient pressures relatively low, the strength requirements of the printhead structures are reduced. Accordingly the dimensions of the components can reduced for more compact design and easier manufacture.

Abstract: In an ink jet recording head from which a small ink droplet and a large ink droplet can be discharged, a common liquid chamber is connected to discharge ports via ink flow paths and pressure chambers, and ink droplets are discharged from the discharge ports by utilizing thermal energy of heaters. Widths of the ink flow paths are narrower than widths of the pressure chambers so that the ink flow paths act as restriction portions. If it is assumed that a sectional area of the small liquid droplet ink flow path is SS, a sectional area of the small liquid droplet pressure chamber is SRS, a sectional area of the large liquid droplet ink flow path is SL and a sectional area of the large liquid droplet pressure chamber is SRL, a relationship SS/SRS<SL/SRL is established.

Abstract: A method of ejecting ink from a chamber includes the step of providing a cantilevered beam actuator incorporating a shape memory alloy and transforming said shape memory alloy from its martensitic phase to its austenitic phase or vice versa to cause the ink to eject from said chamber.

Abstract: A monolithic ink-jet printhead, and a method of manufacturing the same, includes a substrate having an ink chamber, an ink channel, and a manifold, a nozzle plate formed on the substrate, a nozzle, a heater, and a conductor. The ink chamber includes sidewalls formed to a predetermined depth from the front surface of the substrate for defining side surfaces of the ink chamber and a bottom wall formed parallel to the front surface of the substrate at the predetermined depth from the front surface of the substrate for defining a bottom surface of the ink chamber. The nozzle plate includes a plurality of passivation layers, a heat dissipating layer being stacked on the passivation layers, and the nozzle for ejecting ink out of the printhead. The heater is positioned above the ink chamber and heats ink in the ink chamber and the conductor delivers a current to the heater.

Abstract: An ink-jet printhead and a method of manufacturing the same includes a substrate in which a manifold supplying ink is formed, a nozzle plate which is formed to be spaced-apart from the substrate by a predetermined gap and in which a nozzle through which ink is ejected is formed, a barrier wall which seals a space formed between the substrate and the nozzle plate to define an ink chamber filled with the ink to be ejected, an ink channel connected to the ink chamber, and an ink feed hole connecting the ink channel to the manifold, and an insulating layer which is formed on the substrate to form lower walls of the ink chamber, the ink channel, and the ink feed hole, where a heater generating bubbles by heating the ink filled in the ink chamber is formed on the lower walls of the ink chamber.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet printhead which comprises a plurality of nozzles and one or more heater elements corresponding to each nozzle. Each heater element is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble therein. The generation of the bubble causes the ejection of a drop of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through the respective corresponding nozzle, to effect printing. Each heater element is formed of solid material, more than 90% of which, by atomic proportion, is constituted by at least one element, from the periodic table of elements, having an atomic number below 50.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of operating a thermal actuator for a micromechanical device, especially a liquid drop emitter such as an ink jet printhead, is disclosed. The disclosed thermal actuator comprises a base element and a cantilevered element including a thermo-mechanical bender portion extending from the base element to a free end tip. The thermo-mechanical bender portion includes a barrier layer constructed of a dielectric material having low thermal conductivity, a first deflector layer constructed of a first electrically resistive material having a large coefficient of thermal expansion, and a second deflector layer constructed of a second electrically resistive material having a large coefficient of thermal expansion wherein the barrier layer is bonded between the first and second deflector layers.

Abstract: This specification discloses a manufacturing method for an ID circuit of inkjet chips. The method includes the steps of: forming an ID circuit at the predetermined position for an ink feed slot near a print head chip, not cutting or cutting the ID circuit during the ink feed slot processing according to the ID characters to form an ID circuit that is able to recognize the type of the inkjet chip. This method is particularly applicable to monochromic and color print head chips using a shared chip module. The ID circuit is manufactured during the process of making the ink feed slot. Therefore, the manufacturing process is simple without any additional requirement.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention recites a fluid ejection device comprising a first drop ejector associated with a firing chamber. The first drop ejector is configured to cause fluid having a first drop weight to be ejected from the firing chamber, wherein the first drop ejector includes a first heating element and first drive circuitry electrically coupled with the first heating element. The present embodiment further comprises a first bore disposed within an orifice layer disposed proximate the first drop ejector and associated with the first drop ejector. The present embodiment also comprises a second drop ejector associated with the firing chamber. The second drop ejector is configured to cause fluid having a second drop weight to be ejected from the firing chamber, wherein the second drop ejector includes a second heating element and second drive circuitry electrically coupled with the second heating element.

Abstract: The droplet ejecting head includes heating elements each of which has a thermal energy applying surface which imparts energy to a viscous fluid with a viscosity of at least 20 mPa·sec so as to evolve a bubble, fluid supply channels each of which has the heating element on a wall and supplies the fluid toward the heating element and ejection nozzles through each of which the fluid is ejected as a droplet and each of which is in a position opposite the energy applying surface of the heating element across the supply channel. A distance between the energy applying surface and a foremost end of the ejection nozzle from which the droplet is ejected is in a range of from 2 &mgr;m to 8 &mgr;m or the distance is smaller than a growth height of the bubble that has evolved in the fluid by means of the heating element and which has been left to expand by itself until its internal pressure once exceeding one atmosphere decreases to a point below one atmosphere.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printhead and an ink volume detecting circuit. The printhead contains a plurality of first heating elements for heating ink supplied to the printhead to generate bubbles in the ink and eject the ink through corresponding nozzles. The printhead also contains a second heating element for heating the ink supplied to the printhead, a resistance value of the second heating element being less than the resistance value of each first heating element, and the low resistance value of the second heating element causing the second heating element to burn out and create an open circuit if the volume of the ink is less than a predetermined level. The ink volume detecting circuit is connected to the second heating element for determining if the volume of the ink supplied to the printhead is less than the predetermined level based on a condition of the second heating element.

Abstract: Methods are provided for depositing a quantity of fluid onto the surface of an array. In the subject methods, a thermal inkjet head loaded with the fluid is positioned in opposing relationship to, e.g. over, the array surface. Actuation of the thermal inkjet results in the expulsion of a quantity of fluid onto the array surface. The subject methods find particular use in array-based binding assays in which an array of binding agents is employed for the detection of an analyte(s), particularly array-based hybridization assays.

Abstract: A process is provided for forming a heater chip module comprising a carrier adapted to be secured to an ink-filled container, at least one heater chip having a base coupled to the carrier, and at least one nozzle plate coupled to the heater chip. The carrier includes a support substrate having at least one passage which defines a path for ink to travel from the container to the heater chip. The heater chip is secured at its base to a portion of the support substrate. At least the portion of the support substrate is formed from a material having substantially the same coefficient of thermal expansion as the heater chip base. A flexible circuit is coupled to the heater chip module such as by TAB bonding or wire bonding.

Abstract: An emission device for ejecting a liquid drop is provided. The device includes a body. Portions of the body define an ink delivery channel and other portions of the body define a nozzle bore. The nozzle bore is in fluid communication with the ink delivery channel. An obstruction having an imperforate surface is positioned in the ink delivery channel. The emission device can be operated in a continuous mode and/or a drop on demand mode.

Abstract: A microinjector uses bubbles as virtual valves to eject droplets of different sizes. The microinjector is in fluid communications with a reservoir and has a substrate, an orifice layer, and a plurality of nozzles. The substrate has a manifold for receiving ink from the reservoir. The orifice layer is positioned on the top of the substrate so that a plurality of chambers are formed between the orifice layer and the top of the substrate. Each of the nozzles has an orifice and at least three bubble generating components. The bubble generating components are selectively driven by a driving circuit so that each nozzle can eject droplets of different sizes.

Abstract: A bubble-jet type ink-jet printhead is provided. The bubble-jet type ink-jet printhead includes a substrate, a plurality of chamber walls arranged parallel to one another on the substrate for dividing a chamber into a plurality unit chambers having a predetermined height, which are ink flow areas, a bubble generating means, provided for each unit chamber, which includes two unit heaters spaced apart by a predetermined distance on the substrate, and a nozzle plate, combined above the substrate, in which a plurality of nozzles are formed, each nozzle corresponding to a region between the two unit heaters of each bubble generating means. In this case, ink is supplied from both sides of the unit chamber. The ink-jet printhead is constructed such that a unit chamber is provided for each nozzle and bubbles are generated chamber on both sides of a nozzle within the unit chamber, thereby effectively preventing a back flow of ink while facilitating adjustment of the size of ink droplet ejected through the nozzle.

Abstract: A bubble-jet type ink jet printhead and manufacturing method thereof are provided. In the printhead, a manifold for supplying ink and a concave ink chamber is integrated with a substrate by being recessed from the same surface of the substrate, and a nozzle palate on the substrate in which a nozzle is formed and a round-shaped heater surrounding the nozzle are integrated without a complex process such as bonding. Thus, this simplifies the manufacturing procedure and facilitates high volume production. Furthermore, the round-shaped heater forms a doughnut-shaped bubble to eject ink, thereby preventing a back flow of ink as well as formation of satellite droplets which may degrade image resolution.

Abstract: A printhead includes a substrate that defines a plurality of ink inlet conduits. A plurality of nozzle assemblies is positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle assembly defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with a respective ink inlet conduit and a nozzle opening from which ink is ejected. A guard member is positioned on the substrate and is spaced from the nozzle assemblies. The guard member defines a plurality of apertures that are aligned with respective nozzle openings. A plurality of containment walls are disposed about respective nozzle assemblies and interposed between the substrate and the guard member to define a plurality of containment chambers. Each nozzle assembly is positioned in a respective containment chamber.

Abstract: A method of producing an ink jet printhead with a plurality of nozzles and one or more heater elements corresponding to each nozzle. Each heater element is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble therein. The generation of the bubble causes the ejection of a drop of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through the respective corresponding nozzle, to effect printing. Conveniently, a thin nozzle plate is formed in-situ on the wafer substrate. Depositing a nozzle plate by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) allows the nozzle plate to be included in the printhead at the scale of normal silicon wafer production, using processes normally used for semi-conductor manufacture. Standard lithographic equipment used in the modern semiconductor industry provides a high throughput as well as a high degree of accuracy.

Abstract: A printhead includes a substrate that defines a plurality of ink inlet conduits. A plurality of nozzle assemblies is positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle assembly defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with a respective ink inlet conduit and a nozzle opening from which ink is ejected. A plurality of alignment formations is positioned on the substrate to extend from the substrate. A guard member is positioned on the substrate and spaced from the nozzle assemblies. The guard member defines a plurality of apertures that correspond with respective nozzle openings. A plurality of struts is positioned on the guard member and is engageable with respective alignment formations. The struts and the alignment formations are positioned so that, when each strut engages an alignment formation, the apertures are aligned with respective nozzle openings.

Abstract: In an ink-jet printhead and a method for manufacturing the same, the ink-jet printhead includes a substrate, an ink chamber to be filled with ink to be ejected formed on an upper surface of the substrate, a restrictor, which is a path through which ink is supplied from an ink reservoir to the ink chamber, perforating a bottom surface of the substrate and a bottom surface of the ink chamber, a nozzle plate, which is stacked on the upper surface of the substrate and forms an upper wall of the ink chamber, a nozzle perforating the nozzle plate at a position corresponding to a center of the ink chamber, a heater formed in the nozzle plate to surround the nozzle, and a conductor for applying a current to the heater.

Abstract: A fluid ejection device comprises a substrate including a fluid ejector thereon, and an orifice member positioned over said substrate. The orifice member has a fluid-transfer bore extending therethrough and corresponding to the fluid ejector. The orifice member further has a counter-bore about the fluid-transfer bore.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet printhead which comprises a plurality of nozzles 3 and one or more heater elements 10 in a bubble forming chamber 7 corresponding to each nozzle 3. Drive circuitry 22 corresponding to each of the nozzles for controlling the operation of the heater element 10. Each heater element 10 is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid 11 in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble 12 therein. The generation of the bubble 12 causes the ejection of a drop 16 of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through an ejection aperture 5 in each nozzle 3, to effect printing. Part of the drive circuitry 22 is disposed on one side of the bubble forming chamber 7, and part of the circuitry 22 is formed on the opposing side of the bubble forming chamber 7. Printheads manufactured in accordance with the present invention can have a relatively high nozzle density (nozzles per unit area).

Abstract: A substrate for a recording head includes a circuit through which current flows upon impression of a source voltage, irrespective of the operating state of an energy converting element, and a current cutoff means for cutting off current to the circuit in response to an entered control signal. A reset signal for achieving a standby state of the printing operation serves as the control signal. The current cutoff circuit is operated when the reset signal is active in an H state, and it cuts off the constant current. By cutting off the constant current, the leak current of a heater power source VH may be accurately measured, permitting determination of whether the source voltage wiring is properly insulated from other circuit elements of the substrate. The constant current may also be cut off in the standby state, in which printing is not performed, so as to reduce power consumption.

Abstract: A monolithic bubble ink jet print head includes an anti-curing-deformation part formed at at least one of an inner surface of a nozzle plate or a chamber/nozzle plate forming ink chambers and an outer surface of the nozzle plate or the chamber/nozzle plate forming a front or outer surface of the printer head to prevent an abnormal deformation from being generated in the nozzle plate or the chamber/nozzle plate during a curing process. A fabrication method of a monolithic bubble-ink jet print head includes forming a sacrificial photo resist mold having a flow channel structure including ink chambers and restrictors on the substrate, forming a chamber/nozzle plate having an anti-curing-deformation part and nozzles on the sacrificial photo resist mold, removing the sacrificial photo resist mold from the substrate over which chamber/nozzle plate is formed, and curing the substrate from which the sacrificial photo resist mold is removed.

Abstract: A monolithic ink-jet printhead, and a method for manufacturing the same, wherein the monolithic ink-jet printhead includes a manifold for supplying ink, an ink chamber having a hemispheric shape, and an ink channel formed monolithically on a substrate; a silicon oxide layer, in which a nozzle for ejecting ink is centrally formed in the ink chamber, is deposited on the substrate; a heater having a ring shape is formed on the silicon oxide layer to surround the nozzle; a MOS integrated circuit is mounted on the substrate to drive the heater and includes a MOSFET and electrodes connected to the heater. The silicon oxide layer, the heater, and the MOS integrated circuit are formed monolithically on the substrate. Additionally, a DLC coating layer having a high hydrophobic property and high durability is formed on an external surface of the printhead.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet printhead which comprises a plurality of nozzles and one or more heater elements corresponding to each nozzle. Each heater element is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble therein. The generation of the bubble causes the ejection of a drop of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through respective corresponding nozzle, to effect printing. Each heater element is in the form of a beam suspended over at least a portion of the bubble forming liquid (which liquid can be the ink) so as to be in thermal contact therewith. This configuration of printhead provides for a relatively high efficiency of operation.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet printhead which comprises a plurality of nozzles 3 and one or more heater elements 10 corresponding to each nozzle 3. Each heater element 10 is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid 11 in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble 12 therein. The generation of the bubble 12 causes the ejection of a drop 16 of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through an ejection aperture 5 in each nozzle 3, to effect printing. The heater elements are supported within the bubble chambers 7 by the electrodes 15 such that they do not contact the interior walls of the chamber 7. Supporting the heater elements 10 by their electrodes 15 avoids the unnecessary heating of the solid structure of the bubble forming chamber. This reduces energy dissipation into the substrate to enhance printhead efficiency. This improves the energy efficiency and reduces the cooling requirements of the printhead.

Abstract: A thermal printhead is disclosed which prevents an undesired color from being generated around the periphery of a desired color, even when a two-color thermo-sensitive paper is used as the recording medium. A plurality of variable electric potential regions are formed on top of a heating resistor. Each region is disposed between two adjacent projections, and has an individual electrode that intersects therewith. The variable electric potential regions generate colors due to electric potential differences that are produced between a common electrode and individual electrodes. The width of each variable electric potential region corresponds to one dot, and is set such that the temperature of the entire region is substantially uniform when heated. A plurality of fixed electric potential regions are formed on top of the heating resistor, and each region has a fixed electric potential even when an electric potential difference is produced between the common electrode and the individual electrodes.

Abstract: A method of making a print head is disclosed for use in a marking apparatus in which a propellant stream is passed through a channel and directed toward a substrate. Marking material, such as ink, toner, etc., is controllably introduced into the propellant stream and imparted with sufficient kinetic energy thereby to be made incident upon a substrate. A multiplicity of channels for directing the propellant and marking material allow for high throughput, high resolution marking. Multiple marking materials may be introduced into the channel and mixed therein prior to being made incident on the substrate, or mixed or superimposed on the substrate without re-registration.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet printhead which comprises a plurality of nozzles and one or more heater elements 10 corresponding to each nozzle. Each heater element 10 is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid 11 in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble 12 therein. The generation of the bubble causes the ejection of a drop of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through an ejection aperture 5 in each nozzle, to effect printing. In each nozzle, the gas bubble 12 displaces less than 4 nanograms of the ejectable liquid 11 to cause the ejection of the drop. This configuration provides for very efficient operation because less energy is required for the ejection of a small mass.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet printhead which comprises a plurality of nozzles and one or more heater elements 10 corresponding to each nozzle. Each heater element 10 is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid 11 in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble 12 therein. The generation of the bubble causes the ejection of a drop of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through an ejection aperture in each nozzle, to effect printing. In each nozzle, the distance between the heater element and the ejection aperture is less than 50 microns. This configuration of printhead reduces the mass of ink moved in order to eject an ink drop, and provides for a relatively high efficiency of operation.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet printhead which comprises a plurality of nozzles 3 and one or more heater elements 10 corresponding to each nozzle 3. Each heater element 10 is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid 11 in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble 12 therein. The generation of the bubble 12 causes the ejection of a drop 16 of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through an ejection aperture 5 in each nozzle 3, to effect printing. The heat energy difference between an ejected drop of the ejectable liquid and an equivalent volume of the ejectable liquid supplied to the nozzle to replace the ejected drop, is substantially equal to the electrical energy required by the heater and the drive circuitry to eject the drop.

Abstract: A thermal ink jet printhead with an array of nozzles 3, each nozzle having heater elements 10 disposed in a bubble forming chamber 7. The bubble forming chambers 7 having circular cross sections. For example, the chambers 7 are cylindrical, spherical, barrel-shaped or truncated cone shaped. The circular cross sections have enhanced structural strength that better withstands the pressure transients in the bubble forming liquid during droplet ejection.

Abstract: A jet head box for a semiconductor substrate and nozzle plate containing fluid jet actuators. The jet head box includes an elongate substantially rigid body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The body also includes a first recessed portion defining a substrate pocket area in the first surface thereof. An elongate slot extends through the body from the second surface to the first surface in the substrate pocket area. An encapsulant dam is provided adjacent at least one end thereof. A shelf is adjacent the encapsulant dam. The jet head box provides a low cost construction for simple miniature fluid jetting devices.

Abstract: A method for producing a liquid discharge head provided with a head main body including plural energy generating elements for generating energy for discharging liquid as a flying liquid droplet, and plural liquid paths in which the energy generating elements are respectively provided, and an orifice plate adjoined to the head main body and provided with plural discharge ports respectively communicating with the liquid paths and plural independent projections formed around the discharge ports and respectively corresponding to the discharge ports so as to enter into the liquid paths and to engage therewith. The method includes steps of forming the plural projections and the discharge ports while a continuous resinous film is transported; separating the film in a continuous manner in a predetermined size including the portion on which the discharge ports are formed, thereby preparing the orifice plate; and adjoining the orifice plate to the head main body.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet printhead which comprises a plurality of nozzles 3 and one or more heater elements 10 corresponding to each nozzle 3. Each heater element 10 is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid 11 in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble 12 therein. The generation of the bubble 12 causes the ejection of a drop 16 of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through an ejection aperture 5 in each nozzle 3, to effect printing. When the gas in the bubble 12 recondenses, the bubble collapses to a ‘collapse point’ 17. In each nozzle 3, the distance between the collapse point 17 and the ejection aperture 5 is less than 50 microns. The collapse of the bubble 12 assists the ejection of the drop 16 by promoting the ‘necking’ 18 of ink 11 between the aperture 5 and the drop 16 during ejection. The drop 16 requires less momentum to overcome the retarding forces of surface tension, which in turn provides greater energy efficiency.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet printhead which comprises a plurality of nozzles and one or more heater elements corresponding to each nozzle. Each heater element is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble therein. The generation of the bubble causes the ejection of a drop of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through the respective corresponding nozzle, to effect printing. Each heater element includes solid material and is configured so that, when heated, a mass of less than 10 nanograms of that solid material is heated for heating the bubble forming liquid.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head is provided with a base plate with an ink supply port being open as a through hole having laminated thereon a heat accumulation layer and further thereon, two metallic layers serving as metallic electrodes, and a PTC thermistor layer and an electrical barrier layer, which are arranged between them. The PTC thermistor layer is formed by the PTC thermistor having the positive resistance temperature coefficient that raises resistance abruptly beyond a predetermined temperature. With the structure thus arranged, it becomes possible to suppress unnecessary heating of heat generating means so as to prevent the heat generating means from becoming excessively high temperature. It is preferable to adjust the predetermined temperature to be slightly higher than the bubbling temperature of liquid, particularly to 250 to 490° C.